14 Established 1961 Sports Monday, June 28, 2021 Redemption or ridicule awaits Southgate in Germany clash LONDON: Twenty-five years on from the penal- earned the FA’s trust, but some of the public ty miss that cast a shadow over his playing remain unconvinced. career, England manager Gareth Southgate has a shot at redemption and revenge against Attacking talent Germany. Euro 2020’s blockbuster last 16 clash Despite topping Group D with seven points comes much earlier in the tournament than the from a possible nine, a return of just two goals Euro 96 semi-final between the pair when from three games has not impressed the England Southgate was the only one of 12 players unable fans on their return to Wembley. A 0-0 draw with to find the net from the spot. Scotland was met with a chorus of boos, while But with a favorable route to the final for the social media has been littered with criticism of victors and England enjoying home advantage at Southgate for being too conservative with such an Wembley tomorrow and the semi-finals and final array of attacking talent. should they get there, the pressure is on The use of two holding midfielders in Declan Southgate to deliver. “I hope we can do it for him Rice and Kalvin Phillips and the manager’s faith in as well so he can get his own revenge,” said Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling means there has England midfielder Declan Rice. only been two places available for Jack Grealish, Southgate himself has tried to get his England Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, team to look forward not back, especially given Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka to fight for. the Three Lions’ record against Germany in major Sancho’s limited involvement of just six minutes tournaments. Since lifting the World Cup in 1966, as a late substitute against the Czech Republic has England have never won a knockout game against baffled German observers, who have seen him the four-time world champions, losing at the 1970, develop into a player United are set to spend £85 1990 and 2010 World Cups on top of the pain of million ($118 million) on during his four years in Euro 96. “There’s no point fearing the past,” the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. “We just Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford said have so many good attacking players,” Southgate this week. “You can’t go back and change it. What said in defense of Sancho’s lack of minutes. But we can change is the result of the next game.” that has so far not been borne out at a tournament BURTON-ON-TRENT: England’s coach Gareth Southgate (third left) leads a training session of his team at Southgate already has so much credit in the England arrived at with far higher expectations St George’s Park in Burton-on-Trent yesterday. —AFP bank with his employers that Football Association than in Russia three years ago. chief executive Mark Bullingham told reporters on Southgate has reportedly been influenced by Friday he wants to extend his contract, which runs the manner in which Portugal won Euro 2016 and ever been so confident ahead of a meeting against strike snatched a 2-2 draw against Hungary. End until after the 2022 World Cup, regardless of France lifted the World Cup three years ago Germany. his country’s and his personal hoodoo against tomorrow’s result. An unexpected run to the 2018 where a solid defense built the foundation for the Joachim Loew’s men were six minutes away Germany and Southgate will have a nation on his World Cup semi-finals and Southgate’s impressive likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe to from exiting at the group stage for a second side once more. Defeat and five years of progress leadership on a series of off the field matters has win games further forward. Rarely have England straight tournament before Leon Goretzka’s late will quickly be forgotten. —AFP Paul George led the Clippers with 23 points and 16 Suns go wire-to-wire rebounds while Reggie Jackson had 20 points and Ivica Zubac finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds in front of a crowd of 18,200 at Staples Center arena in England v Germany: to seize commanding downtown Los Angeles. Booker was eight of 22 from the field and zero of 3-1 series lead five from three-point range as he had to adjust to play- Matches that fostered ing with a plastic face guard to protect a broken nose LOS ANGELES: Devin Booker scored 25 points and he suffered in a collision with Clippers guard Patrick historic rivalry Chris Paul made several clutch free throws in the wan- Beverley in game two. “I believe in this team,” Booker ing moments as the Phoenix Suns held for an 84-80 said. “It was a close one but we came out with the win. LONDON: England’s rivalry with Germany will be win over Los Angeles, putting the Clippers on the “We rely on our defense. To hold a team like that to 80 rekindled on Tuesday in a blockbuster Euro 2020 last- brink of elimination from the NBA playoffs. points on their home court is impressive.” 16 clash at Wembley. The greatest day in the Three The Suns led wire-to-wire but it was far from easy Booker removed the face mask for the second half, Lions’ history came against West Germany at the same as they led by as many as 16 points in the third but saw saying it was difficult to get into a flow with it on. The stadium in 1966 but since then England have never that dwindle to just one in the fourth when both teams Clippers once again played without their star Kawhi LOS ANGELES: Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns cele- beaten the four-time world champions in a knockout struggled to score, combining for just 29 points in the Leonard but Jackson has stepped up to fill some of the brates during Game 4 of the Western Conference match at a major tournament. AFP Sport looks at five quarter. void. Jackson came into game four averaging 23 points Finals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on Saturday at STA- classic clashes that fostered a historic rivalry. Paul had vowed to be better in game four and he in the games Leonard has been out. PLES Center in Los Angeles, California. —AFP was, scoring 18 points, dishing out seven assists and “I have to play better offensively,” Jackson said. 1966 - England 4 West Germany 2 making five free throws in the final 10 seconds as the “We have to move the ball and find easy shots. And the scored a basket. The Suns outscored the Clippers 15- England are aiming to end 55 years of hurt without Suns seized a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-sev- ones we had tonight will probably go in the next 14 in the final quarter. winning a major tournament on July 11. Geoff Hurst’s en Western Conference finals. “We still got a ways to game.” Leonard has not played since suffering a right The Clippers were unable to rally from a 2-0 deficit hat-trick in 1966 is part of football folklore in his home- go but it felt good to get one here,” said Paul, who knee sprain in game four of the previous round. to tie the series like they did in each of the first two land but not so fondly remembered in Germany due to recently returned from COVID-19 isolation. “This was rounds of the postseason. They must now win three controversy over the crucial third England goal. a tough environment. My nerves are better out here Anemic offense straight games in order to reach their first ever NBA After 90 minutes the sides were level at 2-2 playing than they are at home watching.” This was one of the lowest-scoring games of finals. George shot just five of 20 from the floor, made thanks to Wolfgang Weber’s last-minute equaliser Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and 22 these playoffs thanks to strong defensive play mixed just 12 of 18 free throws and missed eight of nine from for the Germans. Hurst’s second goal came when his rebounds and Mikal Bridges chipped in six points and in with some poor shooting by both teams in the three-point range. Asked if his players were tired, shot bounced down off the underside of the bar and 13 rebounds for the Suns, who are one win away from fourth quarter. With Booker sitting on the bench Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said, “It could be. But no Tofiq Bahramov, a linesman from Azerbaijan, award- reaching their first NBA finals since 1993. Game five is because of too many fouls, the game went through a excuses. At this time of the season guys could be tired. ed the goal. tonight in Phoenix. four-minute stretch in the fourth where neither team But we have to fight through.” —AFP Hurst completed his hat-trick in the final minute of extra-time with a strike remembered for Kenneth Wolstenholme’s iconic BBC TV commentary. “Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over,” cried Wolstenholme. “It is now, it’s four!” Kuwait SC wins GCC basketball championship Championship leader 1970 - England 2 West Germany 3 Quartararo wins Germany got their revenge four years later as they came from behind to outlast the world champions in the Dutch MotoGP searing Mexican heat.